SUMMARY- PILOT PROJECT PROGRAM The Pilot Program will emphasize high quality research that promotes collaboration between the Center and the partner communities, and the development of new investigators as they strive to establish independent research programs in environmental health disparities research. The program is designed to not only increase research capacity of the young investigators at the partner institutions to engage with the local communities in the course of their research projects, but to also foster the career mentorship of Native faculty, and allow non-Native faculty to participate in and build team-science partnerships to address environmental health disparities in Native communities. The Pilot Project will serve as an additional bridge between the Center administration and the partner institutions as projects are developed, implemented and reported at the annual meeting; and as a nexus for mentorship of junior researchers by providing a structure and support for the development of a competitive research proposal through grant writing trainings offered through the Career Development Plan of the Administrative Core. Coordinated by the Administrative Core, the Pilot Program will encourage active participation of Center partners to develop a sustained, powerful influence on the Center?s mission and theme during years 3 through 5. The UNM Health Sciences Center will commit an additional funding for pilots initiated by UNM Center investigators throughout years 1-5. It is anticipated that initial Center pilot projects will promote the validation of models of tribal health developed through the initial interactions of the Community Engagement Core and the Environmental Monitoring and Interpretation Core. Successful implementation of the PP will ultimately expand research in environmental health disparities through development of new extramural projects based on research findings obtained through the Pilot Program mechanism. Therefore, the Pilot Program is a key component of the overall integrative nature of the Center and important for sustainability of the Center?s goals and objectives.